Roy Hodgson has announced his England Squad for France 2016. So what does your team look like, European Mefite Footy fans, and how do you feel about it? (Or if non-European and you are a fan or follower of a particular European Country's team, how do you feel about their chances?)
Who's going to win it? Not England, that is for sure!posted by marienbad to MeFi Football Club (4 comments total)

Wondering if England supporters expectations are sufficiently low that the team might do well.

I wonder at the inclusion of so many injured or recently injured players (Sturridge, Henderson, Wilshere) and players who really haven't done much this season (Sterling), when others who have really done well are not in the team (Drinkwater). Townsend hasn't played that much and seems a bit of a one-trick pony, but I haven't seen him play much.

Is Rooney an average Premier League midfielder and an over-the-hill striker? My prejudices against MU may be coloring my perception of him.posted by idb at 7:47 AM on June 1, 2016

I think one thing that might play in favour of England is that it seems much less ego-driven than in previous years - a team with Ashley Cole, Terry, Ferdinand, Gerard, Lampard and Beckham (and I'm probably forgetting a few) probably has little room for things such as "tactics" or "teamwork".posted by lmfsilva at 3:38 PM on June 1, 2016

I'm encouraged by the number of good, technical players coming through who are playing for tactically astute managers.posted by idb at 5:34 AM on June 2, 2016

Oh, yeah, and as for Portugal, it's not looking good.

The defense is weak - the center are all players over 30 (Carvalho is 38, and I think that makes him the oldest field player in the tournament, and just behind Kiraly when goalkeepers are added in) that used to be quite good. On the wings, considering they won't get any help from Ronaldo and Nani on a 4-3-3 formation, it's grim, although Rapahel Guerreiro is looking very capable of taking the left. The midfield actually has some values - William Carvalho and Danilo (although I suspect he'll be more used as a central defender) can hold the back, João Mário and Moutinho should cover the midfield well. Up front, it's only Ronaldo, and only if he's fit. Nani has been worthless but Ronaldo vouches for him. Quaresma can still pull a rabbit out of the hat, but the rest of his act pales in comparison to what it used to be. Eder is beyond useless.
It's very possible the team moves instead in a 4-4-2 formation with Nani and Ronaldo free up front, and André Gomes taking up the extra spot in midfield. All this because the coach didn't want to take André Silva, who's in all likelihood the new reference striker for the next decade, and finished the season on a personal high note in this shitstain of a season.

Ultimately, Portugal usually plays to the level of their opponents or get blown off, so it's a question of knowing if they're going to fuck this one up so badly and finish in the bottom 8 (although you have to really, REALLY suck not to get into the knockout with such weak groups and only two of the thirds don't advance) or get knocked out by Spain or France in the semis, as usual.posted by lmfsilva at 6:52 AM on June 2, 2016 [1 favorite]